Perdue sued in NJ for ‘humane’ chicken claims

WASHINGTON — Poultry giant Perdue is being sued in New Jersey over claims its chickens are humanely raised.

WASHINGTON — Poultry giant Perdue is being sued in New Jersey over claims its chickens are humanely raised.

The Washington-based Humane Society of the United States says it filed the class-action lawsuit Monday on behalf of a consumer, claiming Perdue is violating the state’s Consumer Fraud Act. The group says Perdue is charging premium prices for chickens labeled as humanely raised, but its standards fall below what any reasonable consumer would consider humane.

Salisbury, Md.-based Perdue says it exceeds industry standards for raising chickens and that its chickens are raised cage-free in temperature-controlled housing with fresh air and constant access to food and water.

The Humane Society says industry guidelines allow for painful handling and inhumane slaughter, among other things.